BILLINGS — Losing a wrestling match in the state championship can stick with a person. At least it did for Ronan’s Tirza Two Teeth.
She lost in the 170-pound final as a freshman, but after a pin of Miles City’s Grayson DeJong at 3:49 in Friday’s semifinals at this year’s all-class state wrestling tournament, Two Teeth finds herself with a shot at a third consecutive title.
If she can beat Kendahl Guardipee of Browning in Saturday’s final at First Interstate Arena at MetraPark, Two Teeth said she’ll have that loss three years ago to thank.
Results: 2025 girls all-class state wrestling - Day 2
“It was a bit harder losing the state championship in my first year, but it made me more motivated for the next years,” said Two Teeth, who followed up last year’s state-championship performance with medal showings at USAW Northwest Junior Regionals and the USA Wrestling Western Regional in the spring.
“I definitely learned a lot from it, and I’m glad that I did. I think if I didn’t lose (as a freshman), I wouldn’t have this much motivation to go through.”
Since girls wrestling in Montana is still in its infant stages — it’s just the fifth year of sanctioned wrestling in the state — there has yet to be a four-time state champion. So winning three state titles, at this stage of the sport’s existence, is as good as it gets.
Two Teeth measures herself by more than titles, though, as she looks for continued growth beyond her final high school match on Saturday.
“I feel like, either winning or losing a match is just how I wrestled in it,” she said. “Like, how will I get better from this match? I’m going to work on what I need to to get progressively better.”
Two other wrestlers kept alive their hopes of winning a third consecutive title on Friday. Kaura Coles, a Kalispell Glacier junior who has two previous titles at 114 pounds, advanced to the 115-pound championship. Meanwhile, Belgrade 190-pounder KyLee Lindsley has a chance to win her third in a row, as well.
Angelina Escarcega of Poplar is also looking for a third state title after winning her freshman and sophomore years but losing in last year's final.
In the team races, Billings Senior holds a comfortable lead in Class AA, leading Kalispell Flathead 191-115.5. The Broncs are going for their third straight championship.
In Class A, Miles City has a 141-98.5 lead over defending champion Ronan.
Defending Class B champ Baker has 80 points, 18 better than Cut Bank.
Trophies will be awarded for the first time in Class C, and Simms is top with 38 points with Big Sandy next at 24.
Here are Saturday’s championship pairings. Championship matches are slated to begin after the 3 p.m. parade of finalists:
100 – Wai Fandrich, Lockwood, vs. Angelina Escarcega, Poplar. Frandrich, a freshman, recorded three pins after a first-round bye. Escarcega, a senior, looks for redemption after her initial quest for a third title was thwarted by Simms’ Hayley Petersen in last year’s final.
103 – Grace Buck, Chinook, vs. Emma Hernandez, Billings Central. Buck took down defending state champ River Cote of Ronan 11-8 in overtime in the semifinals. Hernandez is the first female wrestler for Billings Central to make a final.
110 – Hayley Petersen, Simms, vs. Robin Leidholt, Miles City. Petersen, a sophomore going for her second straight title, is undefeated at 32-0. Leidholt is making her first championship appearance as a senior.
115 – Kaura Coles, Kalispell Glacier, vs. Bella Downing, Kalispell Flathead: Coles can win her third title in three years, while Downing is the defending 120-pound champion. Both wrestlers are juniors.
120 – Elise MacDonald, Billings West, vs. Annaleigh Matejovsky, Wolf Point. MacDonald, a junior, had a 22-18 win in the quarterfinals. Matejovsky, an eighth-grader, has 48 wins against two losses this season.
125 – Lucia Schlapfer, Missoula Big Sky, vs. Madalyn Deiter, Great Falls CMR. Schlapfer had pins of 0:49 and 0:47 on her way to the final. Deiter lost to Coles in last year’s 114-pound final.
130 – Julia Kay, Kalispell Flathead, vs. Taylor Lay, Helena Capital. Kay is in her first final. Lay won the 2023 title at 120 pounds, but lost to Downing at 120 last year.
135 – Lucy Armstrong, Conrad, vs. Meadow Mahlmeister, Billings Senior. Armstrong rode to the finals on the strength of three pins. Mahlmeister is the defending 135-pound champion, though she won that as a member of the Lockwood Lions last season.
140 – Tita Fandrich, Billings Senior, vs. Graylee Fox, Miles City. Fandrich is a freshman, while Fox is a sophomore. It’s the first title appearance for both.
145 – Carmelia Horn, Hardin, vs. Kaitlyn Thorn, Bozeman. Horn won the Eastern A title and is at her first state tournament. Thorn is looking to return to the top of the podium following a loss in the 138-pound championship last year. She was the 145-pound champ in 2023.
155 – Hattie Morrow, Missoula Big Sky, vs. Soraya Shirley, Billings Senior. Morrow won the Western AA title last weekend and Shirley was the Eastern AA runner-up. Shirley won an overtime match in the quarterfinals and defeated Haven Ferguson of Billings Skyview 3-2 in the semifinals.
170 – Ava Hanson, Malta, vs. Jayda Harbaugh, Baker. The pair have combined on five pins on their way to the finals.
190 – Katie Slade, Great Falls, vs. KyLee Lindsley, Belgrade. Slade took third at 185 pounds a year ago. Lindsley improved to 36-0 with three pins en route to the final.
235 – Tirza Two Teeth, Ronan, vs. Kendahl Guardipee, Browning. Both wrestlers have won all their matches by fall.
